Beneath the moonlight, a broken man walked slowly. Two days had passed since he fell from the heavens. Weary and without hope, he continued on, searching for a thin ray of light. "None of these events do make sense. How did I survive? How did I end up here? What was that voice I heard in my mind?" As he walked with such thoughts, he saw in the distance specks of light from a torch. He walked toward the light and saw a castle behind which lay an unbelievable sight: countless stars in the sky above the castle were shining like Nebula's eyes. He had reached the Cloud Castle, the dwelling of the Queen of the Stars, Nebula herself. He made his way to the main gate of the castle. The guard on the wall saw Lucian and spoke in a loud voice: "Halt! Who art thou? Present thyself." "My name is Lucian, I have come here from the world of men. I do not know how, in truth. I have been traveling for two days; I have had neither water nor food. I implore thee, help me." The guard cast a look at the soldier next to him. He was at a loss for what to answer Lucian. He was responsible for the gate's entry and exit, and if any problem were to arise from this matter within the castle, he would have to answer for it. Lucian repeated his request, but this time in a louder voice; he knelt desperately at the foot of the gate and begged the guard for mercy. It was not long before his wails disturbed the silence of the castle, and everyone in the castle, including Nebula, was made aware of his presence.
The Lady of the Stars walked toward the main gate to inquire about the trouble. She reached the top of the wall and said to the guard: "What is the matter? Why is all this noise coming from here? Who is that man before the castle?" The guard and the soldier both knelt, and the guard opened his mouth to speak: "My lady, I deeply apologize for troubling thee. Before thee is a man who says he is from the world of mortals and has come to the gate to ask for our help. When he saw that no answer was forthcoming from us, he began to wail and plead for mercy." Nebula replied: "It pleases me that thou dost perform thy duty well, but I must see this man myself; we have never had such a case in this castle before." The guard and the soldier rose from their knees and stepped to the side to make way for their queen. Nebula stepped to the edge of the wall to see who this human was. She bowed her head and cast her gaze upon Lucian. Lucian looked up and met Nebula's eyes with a face full of sorrow. Suddenly, Nebula felt a familiar feeling in her heart, as if she had seen this man before, but she knew not when or where. From that first glance, a strange trust was formed between the two. The queen turned to the guard and spoke her command: "Open the gate. This man means no harm." The guard and the soldier, without a moment's hesitation and without questioning the queen's command, opened the main gate. The light of life returned to Lucian's eyes; he was now hopeful of surviving. He walked into the castle and was struck by its grandeur and glory. His tongue was unable to speak; never in his mortal life had he seen such captivating beauty. The Lady of the Stars came down the stairs of the wall and walked toward Lucian. "My lady, I know not how to thank thee; thou hast saved the life of this humble servant." "There is no need for thanks; in truth, it is my duty to rescue those who wander in the desert of death. The state of things out there is changing." The guard and Nebula's personal maid, who was with her, were surprised by her words. In truth, this was the first time a foreigner had ever set foot in the Star Castle. "What is thy name, human?" "I am Lucian, my lady. Lucian the carpenter." "Lucian the carpenter, I deem thou canst be of use in this castle. Go and rest for a while; from tomorrow, thou shalt begin thy work as a carpenter in the castle. Lisa, whom thou see beside me, is in charge of the castle's affairs. Thou must be hungry; first, go with Lisa to the dining hall and fill thy belly. She will also show thee to thy sleeping quarters. From tomorrow, thou shalt begin thy work in the workshop." Lucian, with tears of joy streaming from his eyes, knelt before Nebula and said: "I know not how I can ever repay thy kindness and grace, my lady. I shall do my utmost to be of use to thee." Nebula gently caressed Lucian's head and sent him away with Lisa. Then she turned to her guard and said: "Is there any news from the messenger? Has Dante given us an answer?" The guard said: "Not yet, my lady. I believe he may be hesitant in response to thy request." "I hope his answer is positive. It is the only way to save this corrupt land."
What was she truly thinking of? Would her plans be the salvation of the Land of Death, or would they lead it to a time of destruction?
"My lord, it seems to this humble servant that his plan is quite mad; I do beg thee to reconsider. This land is not ready for another war." These were the words of the Commander-in-Chief of the dead's army to King Zilop. "My commands are absolute, and my will is the will of this land. Convey my orders to all the other commanders and bid them prepare themselves." "Thy will be done, my lord." Then the Commander-in-Chief exited the royal chamber, the room where the throne of the dead was kept. Once, Hermes sat upon it; now, Zilop. A throne made of the bones of the dead that called to mind the terror the King of the Dead inspired in other creatures.
Zilop, the erstwhile God of the Shining Sun, was a fearless warrior. In the days of Hermes's reign, everyone spoke of his valor. He had a righteous heart and soul, which caused him to rise against his own king and mete out justice. But now he was changed; he was no longer that innocent and pure Zilop. His heart and soul had become corrupt, and his former righteousness had abandoned him.
What was his command to his commanders, truly? Would his decisions be for the good of the realm or its ruin? Who can say? We must wait and see what fate has decided for this land and its people...
End of Chapter 03